true 24/96 digital output

it's a good thing i can single click....

In the case of the pioneer it's 24/96 for DVD audio (not to be confused with DVD-A, but rather DVD video standard that is an audio disc only--some companies refer to them as DADs). These discs have the audio in 24/96 format and if you select the output on the pioneer for that it outputs at 24/96. CD's are still ouptput at their standard (redbook) output. The pioneer is not doing a resampling for you on those discs. So the advantages are for a limited set of software, and as you point out you need a 24/96 DAC to take advantage of this digital output.

Abstract 7 is correct. One thing to remember, and he touched on it, is that you're NOT talking here about DVD-Audio discs, which are not designed at this point to allow a 24/96 digital signal to be output--with them, you are stuck with the DVD-A player's internal DACs.

An excellent post Abstract7. I have a "new and better" understanding of 24/96 output of the Pioneer player. Thanks. Craig